Chest Clinic

An interactive computer simulation designed to teach the principles of respiratory function testing and diagnosis.

This program is designed to cover the principles of respiratory function testing and adopts a patient orientated, case-centered approach to teach, by investigation, the use of these tests in the diagnosis of common respiratory disorders. It is aimed at undergraduate medical/science students studying physiology on a range of biomedical courses.

The program is divided into several sections: TUTORIAL is subdivided into: Introduction; Limitation to Airflow; Lung Size; Gas Transfer; Bronchodilation; Constriction; Normal Values; Test your knowledge. Each section typically combines text, high-quality graphics, animations to explain the underlying physiology, anatomy and pathophysiology. Self-assessment questions are used for students to assess how much they have understood.

METHODS is subdivided into: Introduction; Peak Expiratory Flow; Spirometry; Reversibility; Challenge Tests (Metacholine, exercise); Lung Volumes; Transfer Factor; Each section typically combines text, high-quality graphics, animations and videoclips to explain, in detail, the principles of the investigative methods used to assess respiratory function. Self-assessment questions are used for students to assess how much they have understood.

CASES contains details of seven patients including a normal subject and patients suffering a range of respiratory disorders. For each the user is presented with the results of relevant respiratory function tests which may be compared to predicted normal values for that patient. Users are required to draw conclusions (in the form of true/false questions) about the patients' conditions.